12.14.17 Adam News and Info
Dec 14, 2017 2:02:15 GMT -5
Post by Q3 on Dec 14, 2017 2:02:15 GMT -5
METRO
Queen and Adam Lambert retain the crown as best live band ever, even without Freddie Mercury
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Being there for Queen’s homecoming was very special indeed. Not least because I took my dad Nigel along – who last saw Queen in concert 42 years ago in Taunton in 1975 when they were testing out new track Bohemian Rhapsody. They certainly didn’t have the notoriety back then that they have today, playing to a crowd of just 1500 while still sussing out what would work on their audience.
‘They were introducing the world to their polemic number, Bohemian Rhapsody, which had just been released,’ he told me. ‘They were good back then, using a reel-to-reel tape system to playback the song and seamlessly takeover playing after the tricky-to-do-live harmony section, with no break in tempo or pitch.’
Everyone left with massive smiles on their faces, so he said.
Flash forward 42 years and the smiles were there before the show had even begun. Most of this audience had grown up on Queen’s anthemic classics (save for a pair of nine month old twins in ear defenders just beginning their Queen journey), and this was a rare opportunity to see the band exactly where they belonged, on the arena stage of their home town.
Queen had returned to London’s O2 with their homecoming gig after two years, and the magnitude of the evening wasn’t lost on them as they played on a guitar-shaped stage as only Queen could.
‘We’ve come home!’ Brian May announced to the crowd. ‘Thanks for welcoming us back.’
Anyone who hasn’t seen Queen perform with Adam Lambert before might be nervous; could he do Freddie Mercury justice? They needn’t worry. Adam was full of all the flamboyance needed to come close to Freddie’s stage presence, with roughly 10 costume changes adorned with all the sparkles in the world and at times while riding about on a gaudy pink trike.
He wore sunglasses for most of the show and strutted about the stage as if the entire audience was there just for him.
‘I’m up here in the gayest suit you’ll ever see in your life,’ he said at one point.
His vocals were also absolutely on point, with Adam tackling the Queen greats like Bohemian Rhapsody and Somebody To Love like he’d been singing them his whole life – he probably has.
Comparing the singers, my dad told me: ‘Freddie’s replacement carried the songs well and was an able and accomplished counterfoil to the talented Brian May on guitars and Roger Taylor on drums.
‘Same music, different singers, but otherwise little had changed.’
That’s a thumbs up from a life-long Queen fan then.
At one point Lambert addressed the fact he could never replace the icon: ‘I know what many of you must be thinking: ‘He’s no Freddie, that American twat!’ ‘
There will only be one rock God named Freddie!’
But he certainly gave it a good go.
His appearance isn’t new though – he’s performed with Queen since 2012, having met during their performance on American Idol in 2009, and even headlined 2016’s Isle Of Wight Festival together. So this homecoming wasn’t just about him – it was more about the originals.
Read more..
metro.co.uk/2017/12/13/queen-adam-lambert-retain-crown-best-live-band-ever-even-without-freddie-mercury-7156762/
QAL Setlist
WWRY (Teaser)
Hammer To Fall
Stone Cold Crazy
Tie Your Mother Down
Another One Bites The Dust
Fat Bottomed Girls
Killer Queen
Speech
Don't Stop Me Now
Bicylce Race
I'm In Love With My Car
Get Down Make Love
I Want It All
Love Of My Life
Somebody to Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Drum Battle
Under Pressure
I Want To Break Free
Whataya Want From Me
Take My Breath Away (Teaser)
Who Wants To Live Forever
Guitar Solo
Radio Ga Ga
Bohemain Rhapsody
Encore:
Day-O (Freddie)
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
European and UK Tour 2017
1-Nov Prague, Czech Republic O2 Arena
8-Nov Vienna, Austria Stadhalle
17-Nov Kaunas, Lithuania Zalgiris Arena
21-Nov Stockholm, Sweden Friends Arena
22-Nov Copenhagen, Denmark Royal Arena
8-Dec Sheffield Arena
15-Dec London The SSE Arena, Wembley
16-Dec Birmingham Barclaycard Arena
New Zealand and Australian Tour 2018
17-Feb Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
18-Feb Auckland, New Zealand Spark Arena
21-Feb Sydney, Australia Qudos Bank Arena
22-Feb Sydney, Australia Qudos Bank Arena
24-Feb Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Entertainment Centre
27-Feb Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Entertainment Centre
28-Feb Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Entertainment Centre
2-Mar Melbourne, Australia Rod Laver Arena
3-Mar Melbourne, Australia Rod Laver Arena
6-Mar Perth, Australia Perth Arena
Adam's Schedule
December 25, 2017 Alan Carr's Christmas Chatty Man – 10pm on Channel 4 (UK) – Alan is joined on the sofa by Noel Gallagher, Christian Slater, Lorraine Kelly, Rob Beckett and Gogglebox stars Giles and Mary. Music and further chat comes from rock band Kasabian, Adam Lambert and Dua Lipa.
2018 New music and a solo album